Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 18 2010:
Properties worth over Rs seven lakh belonging to three shops with house attached were reduced to ashes in a fire which broke out at Keishampat Leimajam Leikai early today.
The fire broke out at about 6.30 am.
The burnt down shops cum houses belonged to Irungbam Taruni (40) wife of Rajen, Irungbam Borkeina (38) wife of late Borchand and I Mema (38) wife of Binokumar.
Mema, one of the affected shop owners, sustained injuries in an effort to put out the fire.
She was hospitalized at RIMS Hospital.
Borkeina also sustained minor injuries in the left shoulder which needed no medical attention.
The fire is believed to have broken out from an electrical short-circuit in the house of Mema.
Locals said that the fire broke out from a faulty electric heater drying pepper.
The fire spread out of control as it came into contact petrol and diesel which was being stored in the attached shop.
Twenty fireman from Imphal fire station with three fire tenders rushed to the spot and struggled to douse the blazing fire in the RCC building but properties in the shops could not be saved.
It took around one and half hours to douse the fire.
Fire service officials are yet to make a final assessment of the properties lost in the fire even though a rough estimate put the loss at Rs seven lakh.
The property lost for Borkiena has been estimated at Rs 4,50,000 .
The family claimed that apart from gold ornaments, Rs 15,000 in cash, and furniture and utensils in the two-storey house were reduced to ashes.
For Mema, besides house hold items and goods stored at her shop, belongings of the people lodging in rented rooms have been destroyed in the fire.
In the aftermath of the fire, a police team from Imphal west district police conducted raids at shops at the adjoining area.
Around 60 litres of petrol were seized in the drive.
They also seized around 20 empty and refilled LPG gas cylinders during the raids.